


I'm not leaving

by punkybunny



Category: The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lloyd Garmadon Needs a Hug, Nightmares, i love movie garmadon. what a nerd, someone pls give lloyd comfort, this is kinda angsty but mainly wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26359684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkybunny/pseuds/punkybunny
Summary: Lloyd has a nightmare and needs to be reassured that his dad is here to stay.
Relationships: Lloyd Garmadon & Lord Garmadon
Comments: 3
Kudos: 44





	I'm not leaving

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I'm writing ninjago fanfiction! I used to watch it back when there were only 2 seasons and now I've gotten back into it! I love the movie so much, I am a SAP for familial stories(not a big surprise if you've read my other fics lol).
> 
> Anyways there aren't enough wholesome father-son post ninjago movie stories, so here I am. Making the content I wish to see :)
> 
> Enjoy!!

Lloyd found himself talking to Zane and Kai in the hallway at school. He can't remember how he got there and why his vision was so gray and fuzzy. Something didn't feel right, his stomach churned and his friend's words went in one ear and out the other. 

Suddenly it was dark, the sky was black, and sand shifted under his feet. He was at Ninjago beach. But wasn't he just at school? Where were his friends? Lloyd hardly wondered this for long before his thoughts were interrupted by the figure emerging from the water. 

A pitch-black figure standing atop a large mech. His father. This was all too familiar, but it didn't feel right to Lloyd. 

Oh. It was because his father promised to quit trying to conquer Ninjago! They had been getting closer these past couple months, becoming a real family. All the father-son stuff was foreign territory for the both of them, but they were trying. 

His dad didn't even have that shark mech anymore! His former army now constructed mechs for the greater good: public transportation, construction, and even repairs for the ninja's mechs. Though his father was adamant about keeping his volcano because it was his "home". Lloyd didn't quite understand, but he was glad his dad visited frequently anyway. 

So with how well the last few months had been going, watching Garmadon stomp onto the beach in the same manner he did countless times in the past was strange. Lloyd huffed and walked up to the mech, glaring up at his father. He would give him a long lecture for sure. If he could talk his dad out of being evil before, he could do it again. 

Of course, he wasn't really thinking logically at this time or he would realize how preposterous it is for Garmadon to suddenly revert back to his evil ways for no good reason. 

"Dad!" Lloyd called. "What are you doing?!" 

Red eyes stared back down at him, but they were so much different then Lloyd was used to. Even when his dad had been hellbent on conquering Ninjago, his eyes were full of emotion. But now they were cold and empty. Hard. 

Lloyd shivered.

When he got no response but a scowl and a step forward from the mech, Lloyd tried again. "You said you were done with all this! Get down here and talk to me!" 

A beat passed, the wind picked up and, wow, it was freezing. And why was no one else at the beach? Had his father ever even invaded Ninjago at nighttime before?

Finally, just when Lloyd's patience was wearing it's thinnest Garmadon easily got down from the mech and stood in front of Lloyd. The teen was starting to think he would remain silent forever, but he spoke up, "I'm done playing family with you. It's about time I got back to work." 

The words were like arrows stabbing through Lloyd. He felt his blood run cold. That hadn't sounded like his dad. The voice was too emotionless, as though made of steel. 

He staggered back a step, but swallowed down the fear and uncertainty. Anger tried to take its place. It failed. "How can you say that?!" He growled, "Is conquering Ninjago really that important?"

His dad seemed to have no reaction to Lloyd's words, standing there rigidly. Silence hung in the air. Lloyd continued. "W-what about…?" He trailed off. 

Garmadon scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "'What about me?' Is that what you were going to say? What a child." Who was this man? Lloyd missed the silly awkwardness that his father exuded. 

"I'd rather be evil than be your father." 

Lloyd felt his world stop. What was the point of these last couple months? Was it nothing to him? Things were starting to work out, Lloyd felt like he finally had a father figure in his life. Now it was all gone. 

And now his dad was turning around, leaving him. No, don't go. 

\---

Lloyd woke with a start, his breath gasping in his throat. He clawed at his sheets to fling them off himself. His bedroom was so dark, just like the beach had been, that Lloyd thought for a second he was still there. Still in his dream. Oh. It had been a dream? 

That thought hardly lingered because Lloyd was suddenly standing up on shaky legs and hurrying out of his room. He couldn't breathe or think or hardly see. But he needed to make sure he was dreaming. 

Lloyd rushed down the hallway towards the living room. He knew his dad was sleeping on the couch tonight, things between him and Koko not completely mended yet. It was nice to know that even though that was the case, his dad still wanted to spend time with them both. 

First it was the snoring hitting his ears and then it was the sight of the dark figure sprawled out under a blanket on their couch. Lloyd stared at Garmadon in an attempt to register where he was and what was happening. He was standing in his living room in the middle of the night and his father was sound asleep on his couch. He hadn't left them. 

Apparently Lloyd was hyperventilating louder than he thought he was because red eyes were now looking drowsily towards him. His father sat up and mumbled, "Luh-loyd? What is it?" 

Lloyd suddenly felt very young, waking his dad up after a nightmare, clad in his faded green pajamas and his hair definitely standing up every which way. After hesitating for a few seconds, Lloyd gave in and padded the few steps needed to bring him to the couch. He sat and fiddled with his shirt sleeves, his gaze down. 

He almost jumped when he felt one of his dad's hands on his shoulder. "Uh… did you have a nightmare?" 

Lloyd's eyes snapped up to meet his dad's. "How did you know? ...Was it obvious?" 

Garmadon smiled widely, proud of himself for getting it right. "Nah, it must have just been my dad senses. I'm a natural at this sort of stuff, ya know?" 

Lloyd couldn't help but giggle, glad to have his father back. He scooched a little closer to him and allowed his sense of awareness to return. His breathing began to even out and he rubbed away the wetness under his eyes(when had he started crying?). 

A moment of comfortable silence passed. Lloyd could tell his father was nervous, wringing his hands together and floundering for the right words to say. Finally he spoke up again. "Do you want to talk about it? I heard somewhere that that's supposed to help, but if you don't want to that's fine-" 

And now he was rambling. His dad must really be worried about treating this situation the right way. Lloyd was grateful, but he decided to interrupt to save them both. "It's okay, dad. Uh yeah, sure I can talk about it. Can you give me a second?"

His dream still felt fresh in his mind, all too real. His dad nodded and they sat there for a few seconds, Lloyd fidgeting with his sleeves and trying to ground himself but also trying to remember his dream. He wished he could just pretend it didn't happen and move on, but he knew talking about the nightmare would help him even if it was difficult. 

Lloyd took a deep breath and began. "In my dream, you were trying to conquer Ninjago again." Garmadon winced at the mention of himself in Lloyd's dream. "You were in one of your shark mechs. I tried to reason with you, but it's like you were someone else. It was so dark and you were so… cold." Lloyd felt tears well up in his eyes again and he quickly looked down so his father wouldn't notice. So embarrassing. "It was scary. Y-you said…" His voice wobbled. "You said that you would rather be evil than be my father. And then you left." 

Lloyd felt his shoulders shake with sobs that he tried to conceal. He wanted to run away and hide, this was so embarrassing. He and his dad had been getting closer, more like family, but this seemed like too much. What if Garmadon freaked out and left? Lloyd wouldn't be surprised if he ran to go get Koko and have her comfort him instead. 

So Lloyd was shocked when he felt four arms encircle his shaking form and hold him against his dad's chest. One hand reached up to pet Lloyd's tangled hair and he couldn't help but sob harder. "It's alright, Luh-loyd. Shh, I've gotcha." 

Lloyd cried against his dad's sleep shirt as the memories of his nightmare played through his head. But he had his dad right here. He was the same he's always been. "I'm sorry…," Lloyd mumbled. He didn't mean to be such a baby. 

"Nope, no 'sorrys' allowed, Luh-loyd. You didn't do anything wrong. You just had a stupid nightmare." His dad looked down, trying to catch his eyes and Lloyd hesitantly looked up, complying. "I will never leave you. Being a part of a family again, having you as my son… well, being evil could never compare." He gave a toothy smile. 

And Lloyd believed him. So he let himself be comforted and dosed off in the safety that only being held in his father's four arms could bring. 

Quietly, he murmured, "Pinky promise?" 

Garmadon gave a booming laugh, and Lloyd wouldn't be surprised if he woke Koko up. His blond hair was ruffled and he was hugged tighter. His dad wrapped his pinky around Lloyd's. "Pinky promise." 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! <3


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